Eve and the Tree of Knowledge... Why are people not on her side?

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Permalink Reply by John D on December 6, 2011 at 11:15am

M.K. - You claim "animals do not think."  Really?  You are making quite a claim here which is supported by no evidence.  You must be a big Descartes fan.  Perhaps you mean something more like "animals have less complex thoughts"... this is a claim I will accept.

You also claim that evolution has made men strong so they can dominate women.  You can't prove this.  Last time I checked most women actually enjoy having sex so I suspect women would tend to cooperate in the mating process (I know my wife does....and if you don't believe me you can ask her).  Men need greater strength for many reasons including the need to FIGHT OTHER MEN.  Men also where responsible for protecting the tribe from other tribes and it is likely that men have been warring against each other for millions of years.  Men also probably hunted while women did not which could also help explain size difference.  Your claim (like most of your claims) is mucho-mucho simplified.

Your assertion that the adam and eve story is ONLY about male domination is laughable... really.  You should think and read a bit more before to claim you are the greatest interpreter of the human condition.  Really... your self love... it's embarrassing.

You are really quite boring to respond to regarding this topic and I will not communicate with you further unless you have something interesting to say.

ttfn.

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Permalink Reply by MADHUKAR KULKARNI on December 6, 2011 at 7:06pm

"M.K. - You claim "animals do not think.

I think you sould have adressed your reply to M .M. and not MK!

MADHUKAR KULKARNI.

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Permalink Reply by John D on December 6, 2011 at 7:59pm

Ha.... I obviously cannot read.  Massive fail on my part... alas.  Now I will proceed to keep my comments here so everyone can laugh at me... the shame.... the shame.....

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Permalink Reply by Pat on December 6, 2011 at 11:43am

After my initial post, I went back and re-read the story again, to make sure I was correct about 2 trees.  I was correct.

Genesis, Chapter 3

22. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us [obvious reference to polytheism], to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

23. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

24. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

So, once man had knowledge, the next big risk the gods had was man joining their club by eating from the tree of life and gaining immortality.  A possible explanation of why man is not, himself, a god, and is therefore subject to the whims of the gods, including suffering?

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Permalink Reply by John D on December 6, 2011 at 12:29pm

The story can and has been interpreted (mostly by men) to blame women for sin.  To me this is a really poor interpretation.  I think the original creation story gets polluted by the idea that the garden of eden event somehow ties to "the law" as defined in later parts of the Bible.  This kind of interpretation doesn't really make the story very interesting as a way of explaining the human condition.

There is a really interesting dimension to the story though... that we have not discussed... and that is temptation.  It is really interesting that eve tempts adam.  I think this is tied to the idea that men are often drawn to women and pursue them (rather than the other way around).  It is easy to see this as a "typical" sexual behavior.  The old sheep-herders probably bought into the idea that a woman's role is to tempt a man and that the man was drawn in by the woman.  Perhaps this social construct drove the idea that was part of the original story.

This could have been easily used to justify the later patriarchal law.

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Permalink Reply by John Aultman on December 6, 2011 at 2:15pm

What better way for a religion dominated by men to make women look inferior as to portray them as gullible, untrustworthy and stupid.  When Abraham was about to kill his son Issac god stops him but when Jephthah had to sacrifice his daughter god does nothing.

Religion:  Controlling people through fear and ignorance for over 2000 years.

 

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Permalink Reply by MADHUKAR KULKARNI on December 10, 2011 at 8:37am

"EVE WAS FRAMED"

By whom? God, satan or Adam? Check out god because the poor thing does not exist. Adam possibly promted satan to tempt Eve because he wanted to eat the apple without taking the blame. Right?

MADHUKAR KULKARNI.

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Permalink Reply by Russell Christian on March 10, 2012 at 10:26pm

Lots of interesting takes on the whole Garden of Eden myth.  I've always taken it as a metaphorical fable that portrayed the beginning of morality in the mind of human kind.  Until Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree they had no concept of good and evil.  No shame, no guilt, no regrets just ignorant bliss.  Nothing was wrong so everything was right.  Truly a garden of Eden.  Then they eat from the tree, realize they are naked and it's off to the races.

Always seemed pretty simple to me although so many different meanings have been attributed to this story that I don't even try to keep 'em straight any more.

It's also the tale that started me on the road to atheism so I guess it will always occupy a special place in my heart.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on March 10, 2012 at 10:43pm

I have always hated that fairytail myth ... It's been thrown in my face more than I can remember. So glad I left the xtain belief system.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on March 11, 2012 at 7:53am

men wrote the story, men told the story, and the woman usually gets the short end of the stick.  What a nice 'god' to punish ALL women for Eve's (fake) mistake.

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on March 13, 2012 at 5:52am

I'm surprised no one has jumped on the obvious contradiction.

Without any knowledge of good/evil, how could either proto-theist be held responsible for disobeying fictional sky-being's stupid rule in the first place? Without this knowledge there is no free will, as they couldn't know that not obeying was evil.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Fuckin' book starts off with nothing but plot holes…. stupid book.

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